This invention relates in general to vehicle engines and in particular to an improved mounting system for an intake manifold assembly for use in such a vehicle engine.
An intake manifold assembly of a multi-cylinder engine includes a plurality of branched air passageways or ducts. Each of the air passageways defines a generally tubular runner having an air intake port and an opposite air inlet port. The air intake port of the runner is joined to an associated plenum which supplies atmospheric, turbo, or supercharged air to the runner intake port, and the air inlet port is joined to a flange which is joined to an associated inlet port of each cylinder head of the engine to supply the air from the runner to each cylinder head. Conventional intake manifold assemblies are constructed of cast iron, magnesium, aluminum, and plastic.
A typical aluminum intake manifold assembly is produced entirely by conventional casting process. These manifolds typically include a plurality of tubes disposed having first ends joined with the outlet holes of an air intake plenum, and second opposite ends joined with the associated holes of a flange member which is adapted for mounting to a cylinder head of the engine. Since the tubes are usually U-shaped, the manifold cannot be cast in one piece but rather must be cast in two body sections or halves, with one section comprising a length of the tubing cast integrally with the plenum and the other section comprising the remaining length of the tubing cast integrally with the flange member.
The establishment of effective and durable seals between the sections is needed for proper function of a machine using a manifold, such as an automobile, particularly where the manifold is a conduit for hot gases or fluids passing through or near the manifold. Typically, the sections are joined together with bolts and a gasket or other suitable hardware to complete the manifold, further adding to the cost and complexity of the manifold. The use of fasteners can be labor-intensive, costly, and consume an excessive amount of the limited space of the intake manifold. Thus, it would thus be desirable to produce an improved mounting system for use with an air intake manifold assembly.